Welcome back for this week's edition of Straight No Chase, your one-stop shop source for all things hip-hop here on EARMILK. This comprehensive weekly feature aims to share hip-hop based content we may have missed during the past week, while also highlighting memorable content we did cover. In addition to the recap of our best hip-hop posts, SNC also includes a Video of the Week, Project of the Week, and a brief list of recently released noteworthy projects and upcoming releases.
As any hip hop head worth their salt knows, these days music floods the blogosphere by the millisecond. Consequently, the landscape of hip-hop is forever changing. There are countless rappers, both established and up-and-coming, as well as renowned and budding producers and beatsmiths dropping their fair share of dope music for the listening masses. It is our mission to mine the interweb for both audio and visual gems, delivering them straight to you for your auditory consumption. But enough with the jaw jacking: let's cut straight to the chase.
Straight Killer, No Filler
Though people may get the impression that music bloggers and writers are freaks of nature who robotically comb the Internet for music, never missing a beat, I am here to assure you that we too are fallible humans who in the process of bringing dope music to the masses, may miss a good banger or two along the way.
This week's delivery includes new music released from Top Dawg Ent.'s Jay Rock as a part of TDE's Fam Appreciation Week, producer Oh No's remix of a track from Guilty Simpson's new album, a leak from New York femcee Nina B featuring Skyzoo and the Bobby Flay of hip-hop, Action Bronson, a track from Chicago hip-hop collective SaveMoney's standout wordsmith Kami de Chukwu's upcoming mixtape, Light and a host of other dud-free tunes.
Without further ado, let's jump right into this past week's selection of killer tracks:
Jay Rock – TDE Fam Appreciation Week
Peez – Please & Thank Yous [Mixtape]
Cobe Obeah – Song of the Starz 2: Dark Night [Mixtape]
Brian Fresco x Caleb James – single
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56278247" iframe="true" /]
Heems – Wild Water Kingdom [Mixtape]
Guilty Simpson – OJ Simpson [LP]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/55505645" iframe="true" /]
CyHi The Prynce – Closed Sessions Vol. 2 [LP]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56392502" iframe="true" /]
Black Matt – Single
ScHoolyBoy Q – TDE Fam Appreciation Week
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56561005" iframe="true" /]
Russ – single
ANTHM – single
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56414323" iframe="true" /]
D-Why – Don't Flatter Yourself [Mixtape]
Griffen – single
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56210724" iframe="true" /]
Nina B – Titles Are Played Out [LP]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56395131" iframe="true" /]
YP – No Doz [Mixtape]
Soul – Shades of Green [Mixtape]
Greg Grease – Cornbread's Coming Series
The Kid Daytona – Summer Games: The Kid with The Golden Pen [Mixtape]
Kami de Chukwu – Light [Mixtape]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56224029" iframe="true" /]
Zak Downtown – single
On The Rocks: Weekly Recap
Here's a five track recap of some of the best hip-hop covered this week on EARMILK. Take a couple of minutes to stroll down memory lane and revisit a handful of tracks brought to you earlier in the week.
In the wee hours of Monday morning, the enigmatic KiD CuDi made marked his return to rapping with the unveiling of collaborative track "Just The Way Iam" with King Chip (Chip Tha Ripper). With Baby Face Killa reportedly due out before the end of the year, Freddie Gibbs released a new track featuring H-Town's Kirko Bangz.
The latter half of the week included music from up and comer J.K. The Rapper, a star studded J. Cole produced leak from DJ Khaled's soon to be released Kiss The Ring LP and Ab-Soul's contribution to TDE's Fam Appreciation Week.
For those who may have been snoozing at the wheel, here's your chance to play catch up:
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56118823" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/56451568" iframe="true" /]
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
This week's coveted Video of the week honors go to Bronx born, Brooklyn based bosstress Nina B. Featured in Week 7 of Straight No Chase the quick-fire emcee's bouncy Jazzy Joyce produced track "How Y'all Want It", which is off her soon to be released project, received a lighthearted visual treatment from director Scenario.
In the video producer Jazzy Joyce and featured artist Jon Connor both make an interesting cameo appearance. Peep the video below and look out for Nina B's upcoming collaborative LP Titles Are Played Out with producer Jazzy Joyce.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7eX4XAedho[/youtube]
PROJECT OF THE WEEK
Week 12's project of the week comes courtesy from one of the Windy City's best kept secrets, Mikkey Halsted. Named after the polarizing and controversial Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro, Halsted's latest tape picks up where the uncompromising artist's last project left off.
Hosted by Don Cannon and produced primarily by fellow Go City native No I.D., Halsted latest thirteen track tape features guest appearances from hook master BJ The Chicago Kid, Cocaine 80's, Pusha T and production duties from fellow Chicagoan Young Chop, Trakmatik & The Commission and Vidal Harris.
From track that explore pertinent sociopolitical subject matter which can be found on tracks such as "PTSD" and "Obamanomics"to the more mellow "Love Games" and hardcore bangers like Don Cannon produced "Weak MF", Halsted makes a convincing as why he's one of most criminally slept on heavyweight emcees coming out of the CHI. Fans and first time listeners alike can take something away from Mikkey's latest free offering.
Other Noteworthy Projects
D-Why – Don't Flatter Yourself [Mixtape]
Mach Five – Ratchet Shit: The Album [LP]
Peez – Please & Thank Yous [Mixtape]
Soul – Shades of Green [Mixtape]
YP – No Doz [Mixtape]
Upcoming Releases – August 21
Nina B x Jazzy Joyce – Titles Are Played Out [LP]
Supreme Cuts & Haleek Maul – Chrome Lips [Mixtape] via Mishka
The Kid Daytona – Summer Games: The Kid with The Golden Pen [Mixtape] (August 20)
Friday Flashback
Clipse – "Youngboy"
Years before Pusha T and (No) Malice embarked on distinctly different paths in pursuit of fruitful solo careers and back when the hit-making production team The Neptunes simultaneously dominated radio waves and both the rap and R&B charts, the hip-hop duo Clipse were steadily on the rise and poised to achieve rap stardom.
The formidable tandem's winning combination of slick and credible street raps and production provided exclusively by The Neptunes' Chad Hugo and Pharrell propelled their 2002 commercial debut album, Lord Willin' to the top of the charts.
While Lord Willin' spawned memorable hit singles such as the iconic "Grindin" and "When The Last Time", the tandem's freshman effort was also home to some sleeper bangers such as the rugged and raw track "Virginia" and the LP's horn laced second track "Youngboy". With the success of Lord Willin', Pusha T and No Malice were given a platform to give a much-needed voice to their underrepresented home state of Virgina.
With Pusha and No Malice presently pursuing solo careers and future plans to reportedly reconnect for a fifth LP sometime in 2013, fans of classic Clipse can only hope the two VA rappers can rekindle fire and recreate the magic found on their 2002 debut album.
That's all for this week's edition of Straight No Chase. Thanks for checking in and checking out our fresh selection of all things hip-hop. As always, feel free to comment on this week's tunes and/or offer up any suggestions and music and video submissions for the subsequent edition of Straight No Chase.
